NCC completes subsea roundabout

The Eysturoy Tunnel was built by NCC in the Faroe Islands for client Eystur- og Sandoyartunlar (EST). The 11.2km subsea tunnel will reduce travel time to the capital city of Tórshavn from many places in the Faroe Islands.

“NCC congratulates all the people of the Faroe Islands and the company EST on the opening of the tunnel,” said Per Jonsson, head of the Civil Engineering Norway division at NCC Infrastructure. As the main contractor, we are delighted to deliver, according to schedule, the first of two tunnels that will make life easier for the inhabitants of Faroe Islands.”

Tunnel construction began in January 2017, with breakthrough achieved on 7^th June 2019. At its deepest point, the tunnel is 187m below sea level and includes the Atlantic’s first and only subsea roundabout. With the entire tunnel opened for traffic, the Faroese capital of Tórshavn is now connected to both sides of Skálafjørður fjord.

“The opening of the tunnel is very important since it helps to bring Faroese society, businesses and people closer together,” says Teitur Samuelsen, CEO of the developer EST. “Construction of the Eysturoy tunnel has gone very well, and I would like to thank NCC and its employees for an excellent job.”

NCC is currently working on the second phase of the Faroe Islands contract, construction of the 10.8km Sandoy tunnel, which will go from Gamlarætt on Streymoy to Traðardalur on Sandoy. This tunnel is scheduled to be ready in 2023.

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